Fostering Talent, Building Employment and Settlement Ecosystems
Through Regional-University Collaboration...
22 Universities Participate
Chungnam Province is launching the 'Regional Innovation-Centered University Support System (RISE)' project in earnest to promote the sustainable development of the region and local universities.
On July 9, the province announced that it will invest 140.3 billion KRW this year to support 22 universities in the province, implementing four major projects, 17 unit tasks, and 134 detailed initiatives.
Governor Kim Tae-heum, together with Kim Dong-il, Mayor of Boryeong (Chairman of the Chungnam Mayors and Governors Association), the heads of 14 cities and counties, and Kang Ilgu, President of Hoseo University, signed the RISE agreement at the Provincial Government Culture and Arts Center on this day, agreeing to cooperate in building a regionally tailored higher education system.
The RISE project is designed to transfer the Ministry of Education's university support authority to local governments, allowing the region to take the lead in establishing an education support system connected to local industries and talent cultivation.
Through this initiative, the province aims to realize its vision of a 'Strong Chungnam' by focusing on four key areas: fostering new growth industries, building an industrial innovation ecosystem, transforming the higher education system, and creating a strong community.
In particular, major local-university collaboration projects will be launched, including a smart city platform in Cheonan with Dankook University, future mobility in Dangjin with Shinsung University, blue bio industry in Seocheon with Konyang University, and a youth agri-food processing valley in Cheongyang with Sunmoon University.
Additionally, the province has designated several Chungnam-style contract departments, including the Smart Convergence Engineering Department at Baekseok University, Smart Mobility Department at Kongju National University, Advanced Aviation Department at Hanseo University, Environmental Energy Department at Chungnam Provincial University, and K-Food Culinary Department at Hyejeon University.
Under the agreement, the province and local governments will work with universities to nurture regionally rooted talent, operate customized education systems, and strengthen collaboration among local governments, industries, universities, and research institutes.
Universities will establish and implement annual goals based on autonomous projects and manage outcomes in partnership with the Chungnam RISE Center.
Governor Kim Tae-heum emphasized, "The RISE project will be a key to preventing the outflow of local talent and overcoming the risk of regional extinction," and urged efforts to resolve job mismatches and expand contract departments through stronger university-industry cooperation.
The province plans to conduct precise annual evaluations of project outcomes and maximize results through customized consulting for each university.
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